The Mekong Delta is blessed by nature with an abundance of shrimp and fish, and lush fruit trees. From these products, fish sauce dishes were born, becoming an indispensable part of the local culinary culture.
Fish sauce hotpot - a rustic, simple name, even somewhat "picky" - but once sitting around a steaming hotpot, gently dipping each strand of vegetable, picking up a piece of fish, a piece of meat to put in your mouth, that rich flavor will quietly anchor in your memory, becoming an unforgettable experience.
The way to cook hotpot with fish sauce is not too complicated, but what makes the special flavor lies in the heart and skill of the chef. First, people choose a special fish sauce of the West such as linh fish sauce or sac fish sauce, boil it with water until it boils thoroughly, then filter it through a sieve to get the rich broth.
Next comes the seasoning. Minced lemongrass, crushed chili, and a little fried garlic are added to enhance the aroma. Fresh coconut water is added to create a natural sweetness.
Sometimes, the locals cleverly add a little sugar and tamarind juice to balance the sour, spicy, salty and sweet flavors. The pot of broth begins to simmer, spreading a rustic yet lingering aroma - both rustic and reminiscent of something very familiar, very Western.
The ingredients to eat with fish sauce hotpot are extremely rich. There are basa fish, snakehead fish, tiger prawns, fresh squid, pork belly… Some places also add fish cakes, clams or fried tofu to increase the appeal. But especially and indispensable are the vegetables.
These are bright yellow sesban flowers, crispy lotus flowers, young and fresh water mimosa, split morning glory, water mimosa, thinly sliced banana blossoms... All are washed, neatly arranged on a plate, waiting for the moment to be dropped into the boiling hot pot, then mixed with the fish sauce flavor, creating an unforgettable culinary experience.
Eating hotpot with fish sauce cannot be rushed. You have to sit together, slowly dip each chopstick of vegetables, pick up each slice of fish, then lightly dip it into the bowl of chili fish sauce or tamarind fish sauce, bring it to your mouth and slowly feel each layer of flavor. It is the characteristic richness of the fish sauce, the sweetness of fresh shrimp and fish, mixed with the coolness of the vegetables - all blend together, as if gathering all the love of the countryside and people into a meal filled with affection.
I still remember clearly that rainy afternoon when I was a ten-year-old child, the first time my mother took me to Cai Rang - Can Tho to visit my grandmother. My grandmother treated the whole family to a pot of fish sauce hotpot with the rich flavor of the West.
Grandma sat by the fire, her hair white, her hands nimbly picking vegetables - bright yellow sesban flowers, lush green water mimosa, thinly sliced banana stems into white strands... I helped my grandmother and mother wash snakehead fish, my grandmother patiently taught me how to use a knife to lightly cut both sides of the fish's back so that it wouldn't smell fishy when cooked.
Every movement of my grandmother was slow and careful, as if she was pouring her heart into the hot pot, so that the dish not only had a fragrant aroma but was also filled with love. The small kitchen on the porch was filled with the strong aroma of fish sauce, mixed with the spicy taste of lemongrass and chili, making my eyes sting, but my heart felt strangely warm.
Now my grandmother has passed away, but every time I enjoy a pot of fish sauce hotpot, I seem to hear her gentle laughter somewhere, see her figure in the old kitchen, and feel the warm childhood days in the billowing smoke.
The taste that day was not only fish sauce, fish or wild vegetables – but also the taste of love. And so, in my heart, every time I think of my maternal homeland in the West, the strong aroma of the fish sauce hotpot comes back, flooding my memories.
Western hotpot has now become a familiar, popular and beloved dish throughout the country. Especially in Tay Ninh - one of the provinces and cities famous for its rich cuisine - you will find countless delicious hotpot restaurants.
One of the addresses chosen by many diners is Cam Tu hotpot, located on Nguyen Tri Phuong Street, Hoa Thanh Town. The restaurant is famous for its diverse hotpot dishes, allowing diners to choose between fish hotpot or meat hotpot according to their preferences.
Besides, Hotpot with fish sauce 98 at 130 Chanh Mon A street, quarter 1, ward IV, Tay Ninh city, is also an ideal place. The restaurant space is clean, airy, modern; the rich menu includes hotpot with fish sauce, catfish hotpot, seafood hotpot with field crab, hotpot with bitter melon and catfish, seafood hotpot... offering many attractive options.
In addition, Co Ba Fish Sauce Hotpot at 98 Nguyen Chi Thanh, Ward 3, Tay Ninh City is also highly appreciated for its rich fish sauce hotpot flavor and diverse and abundant fresh vegetables.
The Southwest region not only has beautiful scenery and gentle people, but also possesses a rich, rich and profound culinary culture. Mam hotpot is not simply a dish, but also the breath of the Southern land, the rustic soul of the countryside blending in every drop of fish sauce and every warm and harmonious laughter. makes many diners fall in love every time they enjoy the taste of Western fish hotpot.
Mai Thao
Source: https://baotayninh.vn/dam-da-lau-mam-mien-tay-a191909.html
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